Portret van Jean-Nicolas Corvisart

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228a

Art Historical Context

### Portrait of Jean-Nicolas Corvisart This elegant lithograph captures the likeness of Jean-Nicolas Corvisart, a renowned French physician who served as personal doctor to Napoleon Bonaparte. Produced anonymously by *veuve Delpech (Naudet)* between 1818 and 1842, the portrait measures a modest 272 × 178 mm, ideal for collectors' albums or personal display. On the verso, it bears a collector's mark (Lugt 2228a), a stamped emblem signifying its passage through distinguished hands, adding layers of provenance to this intimate artwork. Lithography, the medium here, revolutionized printmaking in the early 19th century. Invented just two decades earlier, it allowed artists to draw directly on stone for nuanced, reproducible portraits—far more affordable and detailed than earlier engravings. This technique democratized access to images of notable figures like Corvisart, whose innovations in diagnostic percussion bridged medicine's old and modern eras. As a post-mortem tribute (Corvisart died in 1821), the print reflects the era's fascination with celebrity healers amid revolutionary change. Veuve Delpech, likely the widow of lithographer François Séraphin Delpech, operated in Paris's vibrant print scene, preserving such cultural icons for posterity. A window into Napoleonic legacy and artistic innovation! (198 words)